Please contact NASL staff before sampling so that we can ensure that you have appropriate equipment and sample containers, and that you are familiar with the proper sampling methodology.
Here are some “best practices” with regard to shipping environmental samples to NASL for analysis. Following these steps will help ensure that your samples and subsequently your data are of the highest quality.
- Ship samples hard frozen, using ice packs or dry ice (when available). Only fill poly bottles 90% to allow for expansion upon freezing. Full bottles will break when frozen
- Do not place bottles in direct contact with dry ice, they can become brittle and break.
- Do not use loose ice, or put ziploc bags in loose ice. Water will get into the bags and ultimately into foil pouches and/or ruin paperwork. Double bag ice if you must use it.
- Provide paperwork in the form of chain of custody form (COC). Feel free to use ours below.
- Use packing material or empty boxes to pack coolers tight. Loose items end up broken.
- Always notify NASL via email or phone of shipments.
- Provide tracking info if possible.
- Please provide a return shipping label if your cooler is large or heavy. NASL can only absorb a moderate level of return shipping costs.
- Only ship on Monday through Wednesday. Shipping on Thursday risks a delayed shipment spending the weekend in a truck or warehouse.
- Label packages as perishable or requiring continued refrigeration or storage in freezer.
- DO NOT request Saturday delivery. CBL is closed weekends.
- Ship coolers inside of boxes whenever possible. Most carriers charge a surcharge for coolers not in boxes. We will have to eventually pass that charge on to our clients who do not box their coolers.
Address all packages to:
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
Nutrient Analytical Services
146 Williams Street
Solomons, MD 20688
Attn: Brandon Young or Jerry Frank
Learn about CBL Chain of Custody